


Once a Week

by shayasar



Category: Torchwood
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-25
Updated: 2012-11-25
Packaged: 2017-11-19 12:21:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/573211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shayasar/pseuds/shayasar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Where does Ianto go once a week?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> And I present you with my first interactive fic *lol* You can choose your ending :)

It was once a week that Ianto left the Hub in the afternoon for about four hours. 

Gwen had witnessed this for some time now. The young man would stand in the door to Jack's office and both men would look at each other and give a short nod. Then Jack would go back to whatever he was doing and Ianto left via the cog door. 

Gwen had asked Tosh and Owen if they knew what Ianto was doing, but Owen had just muttered something about he didn't care what the Teaboy was up to and Tosh said to leave Ianto his room. 

So she watched Ianto walk through the Hub, grab his coat and leave. But never without asking the Team beforehand if they needed anything. And, there was always a full thermos of coffee waiting by the coffee machine in case one of them needed a refill. 

Gwen couldn't really remember if Ianto had always taken an afternoon a week off before Jack had left them after Abaddon, but then she hadn't really cared about what he was doing then anyway. She had to admit to herself that she had never really spoken to Ianto. That had only changed after Jack was gone, but during that time, he had never asked for an afternoon off. 

She had only just noticed this behaviour after the incident with the Sleeper Agents, the incident with Beth. She still didn't like to think about it, the feeling of having failed yet another person was too strong, so Gwen focused on someone else. And to his joy, it was Ianto. 

When Ianto stepped into Jack's office on a Thursday afternoon and the men shared their brief exchange of looks, Gwen decided it was time to find out what Ianto was up to. As soon as the young man had left through the cog door, Gwen went into Jack's office. 

"Jack, I'm just hopping over to the bakery, do you want something?" 

"Leave him alone, Gwen." Jack did not even look at her, but continued writing something in the file he was working on. 

"Excuse me?" 

"You heard me, Gwen." Grabbing the pen tightly, Jack took a deep breath. 

Gwen laughed self-consciously and gave Jack a confused look. 

"I don't know what you mean, I was just..." 

"No Gwen! I know exactly what you wanted to do and I won't let you. Leave Ianto alone!" Jack's head snapped up now and he shot Gwen an icy glare. "You don't have to know everything. What Ianto is doing right now, is none of your business." Jack felt his anger grow, when he saw the determined expression creep up on Gwen's face. The bullterrier was out again. 

"But he leaves every week for a few hours. Don't you want to know what he is doing?" Gwen put her hands on her hips and glared at Jack. 

Jack fought hard to keep his voice down. In moments like this, he honestly asked himself why he had asked Gwen to join Torchwood. "What makes you think I don't know?" 

Her mouth fell open as she gaped at him like a fish. "You know?" 

"Of course I know. But even if I didn't know, I would leave him his freedom," Jack sighed, and rubbed his hand over his face. He couldn't believe he was having this conversation. Ianto had warned him a few weeks ago that something like this would happen and he had promised his partner that he would keep Gwen off his back. 

"He told you?" Gwen was still gaping, looking rather stupid. 

"Why wouldn't he?" 

"Well, he didn't tell me." 

"Did you ask him?" 

Gwen opened her mouth and shut it again before bowing her head. "No." 

"I don't know if he would tell you, but it would certainly not hurt to ask, Gwen. And it would have been better than sniffing around behind his back." Jack looked sternly at Gwen. "We are a team Gwen, we need to stick together and I won't tolerate you going behind Ianto's back or Tosh's or Owen's for that matter. If you have a problem, talk to the person in question. And, if the person doesn't want to share something personal with you, accept it." Jack felt as if he was talking to a child, but the wigging was necessary. "Now, I need to get some fresh air. You stay in the Hub in case the Rift starts acting up. And, if it's not an emergency, don't call me. I will be back in a couple of hours." With that Jack pushed his chair back and strode through his office, grabbing his coat on the way out. 

He ignored Gwen calling after him. He had just about enough for now and was glad when the cog door rolled shut behind him. 

When he stepped out of the tourist office he inhaled deeply. The air was still chilly, even though it was already May. Stuffing his hands into his coat pockets, Jack made his way to the SUV, which he had parked in the open parking lot that morning after driving to the Hub from Ianto's flat. 

He hated to intrude on Ianto, but he knew he needed his partner right now. And Ianto had asked him a couple of times if he wanted to accompany him. Jack guessed, now was the perfect time to accept that offer. He just hoped Ianto was still okay with it. 

Jack started the car and drove the short distance to the outskirts of the city, sighing when he passed the big sign at the gate to the large building complex. Parking the car, Jack didn't lose a second and strode towards the park behind the house. He knew exactly where to look. Ianto had described the place to him so often he could picture it in his mind without having been there once. He smiled when he reached the gravel path towards the big pond he could see sparkling in the sunshine. His pace quickened when he saw a familiar figure sitting on a park bench close to the pond. Ianto was just rubbing gently over the back of the man who was sitting next to him. 

Jack frowned when he realized that the other man was coughing heavily and hurried to see if he could help, but just when he reached the two men, the coughing stopped and was replaced by rattled breathing. Ianto was still rubbing gently over the old man's back, but looked up at Jack now, a surprised but pleased expression on his face. 

"Tad, I want you to meet Captain Jack Harkness. The man I've been telling you about." Ianto spoke in a loud voice pointing at Jack so his father would turn around and greet the new arrival. 

Jack put his most dazzling smile on, when the old man finally looked at him. He had the same eyes as Ianto, albeit the blue was slowly fading into grey, but Jack was sure they had been as piercingly bright in his younger years as Ianto's eyes were now. 

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, sir. And, I hope you don't believe everything your son has told you about me." Putting his hand out, he waited for Ianto's father to grab it, looking confused at Ianto when the old man just stared at him with somewhat empty eyes. 

"I'm sorry, Jack. It's not one of his best days," Ianto apologized and took his Tad’s hand in his.

"It's okay. Probably not the best day for me either," Jack sighed and sat down next to Ianto. 

"Gwen?" 

"Yeah." Jack rubbed his hands over his face before leaning back on the bench. "I just don't understand her sometimes. She wanted to follow you today." 

"It's in her nature, she just wants to know everything that's going on." 

"She could have just asked you, but instead she lied to me and got upset when I told her straight to the face that I knew what she was up to and she was not to follow you." 

"Thank you." Ianto put his free hand on Jack's thigh and rubbed gently over the firm muscle. 

"You should stop that if you don't want me to jump you in front of your dad." 

"You wouldn't do that," Ianto laughed, but eyed Jack warily. 

"Ianto?" 

Ianto's head shot around and he looked hopefully at his father. "Yes Tad, I'm here." He savoured every clear moment, his father was having. Since the diagnosis with Alzheimer’s half a year ago, his father's condition had gone rapidly for the worse. 

"Did you bring me chocolate?" 

"Yes Tad," Ianto chuckled and put his hand on his father's cheek. "Of course, I brought you chocolate. It's in your room." Ianto then realized his father wasn't looking at him, but behind him. 

"Who is that?" 

Jack noticed the change in the old man as well and stood up again. Stretching his hand out in a second attempt, he smiled at Ianto's father. "Mr. Jones, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Captain Jack Harkness; I'm a friend of your son's." This time the offered hand was shaken. 

"I told you about him, Tad. Do you remember?"


	2. Not Sappy Ending

His father frowned a moment, clearly trying to remember, then his face went blank again and his gaze shifted to the pond, staring out over the rippled water.

Jack saw the sorrow creep into Ianto’s face and put his hand on the young man’s shoulder, sitting down next to him again.

“His lucid moments become shorter every time.” Stretching his hand out, Ianto stroked sadly over the old man’s head, tangling his fingers in his father’s hair only to smoothen it out again. 

“I’m sorry.” Jack shifted closer to Ianto and put his arm around the young man.

“It’s just… Today he didn’t even recognize me. He was sitting in his chair by the window and didn’t even turn around when I entered the room. There was no reaction when I hugged him.” Ianto leant back against Jack’s chest but never stopped carding his hand through his father’s hair. “After ten minutes, he looked at me for the first time and asked me, if I was there to buy a suit.” Tears were now running down his face. “I just hate to see him like that. He was always so strong and confident.”

“Just like his son.”

Ianto gave a humourless chuckle. “I don’t think so.”

“I do. I’ve never met a person as strong as you, Ianto. The Universe has thrown so much at you and yet here you are, still fighting. And I know your father is proud of you.”

“I feel so helpless. We have all that technology, but there’s nothing I can do to help my Tad. He slips more and more every day and I can’t be there for him all the time. I want him to remember me, Jack. I can’t tell you how much I want to see that twinkle in his eyes when he’s up to something. In his first weeks here, he gave the nurses a hard time. Sneaking up behind them, flirting with them, but now he sits in his chair almost all day. He’s not talking anymore; he just stares out of the window. I wish I could give him at least one day in his old cheeky self.”

Jack pulled his young lover even closer to his chest. He knew what it was like to lose someone you love, to see that person die slowly in front of your eyes.

“You’re not alone with this Ianto. I’ll be there for you. And you can visit your father as often as you like, I won’t keep you from him. The Hub won’t blow up if you’re not there all the time.”

Shifting slightly in the arms of his lover, he looked up at Jack. “Will you come with me from time to time?”

“As often as I can manage.”

“Thank you.” Ianto then leaned forwards and took his father’s hands in his. “I think we should go back inside, Tad. It’s getting cold out here. Would you like to have a cup of coffee? And, I’m sure Jack can find us some cake.” Not waiting for a response, Ianto stood up and pulled the fragile man to his feet, slipping an arm around his waist to support him. Turning his head, he smiled back at Jack. “Are you coming?”

“Sure.” Jack watched Ianto and his father walking up the gravel path for a moment before he got to his feet and followed them. With a wry smile, he thought about thanking Gwen. Without her, he wouldn’t be here now and about to have coffee and cake with Ianto and his Tad, offering his partner a shoulder to lean on. He just hoped his presence would help Ianto a little and he made a vow to himself to let the young man know he would always be there for him.

FIN**


	3. Sappy Ending

His father frowned a moment, clearly trying to remember, then his face brightened up and he looked at Jack again. "You're the Jack that makes my son happy?" 

Jack felt a blush creeping into his face and a lump forming in his throat. Ianto had said that about him? "I certainly try my best, sir," he finally managed to press out. 

"Call me Gruffydd. My boy said you have been there for him after Lisa died." 

Ianto looked uncomfortable at Jack, but the Captain just smiled. 

"I was. And you can call me Jack." 

"So, Jack. What do you do for a living?" 

"Tad..." Ianto tried to stop his father from further interrogating Jack, but Gruffydd wouldn't have any of it. 

"I'm Ianto's boss..." 

"At the tourist board," Ianto quickly cut in, glaring at Jack. 

"You started an affair with your boss?" Gruffydd asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Tad!" Ianto didn't know if he should laugh or be upset over his Tad's direct approach. But to be honest with himself, he just savoured the moment of his father being completely clear and his old self, the father who had always managed to embarrass him in front of his partners. 

"What? Didn’t you tell me, you love him?" 

"Taaad." Now totally uncomfortable, Ianto was shifting on the bench, trying to avoid Jack's eyes that seemed to bore into him. 

"You love me?" Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was that the old man talking or did Ianto really confess that to his father? 

"Whoops." Gruffydd had at least the grace to look uncomfortable as well now. "I take it, you didn't tell him yet?" 

"No." Ianto looked down at the gravel path and pretended to study the pattern of the pebbles around his feet before taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Jack. I know...." 

"You really love me?" Jack squatted down in front of Ianto, putting his hands on the younger man's knees. 

"I know you're not one for the love..." 

"What makes you think that?" 

"Well, I thought..." 

"Oh, Ianto Jones, you lovely fool." Instead of talking, Jack bent forward and pressed his lips onto Ianto's, glad when the young man opened his mouth to him and melted into the kiss. Only when Gruffydd cleared his throat, did they part again, smiling happily. "I love you, too," Jack whispered and pressed his forehead against Ianto's for a moment. 

"Now that that's settled... Who wants cake?" Gruffydd clapped his hands and stood up on unsteady legs. 

"Tad! Be careful." Ianto jumped up, sending Jack tumbling onto his back in the process, and grabbed his father's arm before the old man could stumble. When the both of them looked down at Jack, Ianto couldn't suppress the laughter that was bubbling up in his chest. "Sorry, Jack." 

Gruffydd was now chuckling as well. "Seems my son wants you on your back." 

"Tad!" 

Jack looked at the old man for a second before bursting out with laughter. He decided he really liked Ianto's father.

FIN**

**Author's Note:**

> Now at this point you can choose your ending… shall it be the sappy one or not?
> 
> The next chapter will be the not sappy one. Chapter 3 is the sappy ending. 
> 
> You can choose what you like to read, or read both :) It's up to you!


End file.
